Buy Local Challenge Week
This week is the Maryland's Buy Local Challenge. The challenge is to pledge to enjoy at least one Maryland grown product every day during Buy Local Week. So I will kick the challenge up a notch here at the Farmette, I pledge to eat at least 1 locally grown item per meal this week! We had house guests this weekend so I hit the local farm stands to pick up corn, tomatoes, watermelon, and peaches for everyone to enjoy. My daughter made chicken tacos on Saturday for a house full of relatives and we used Fairytale Farmette crisphead lettuce, Queen Anne's produce stand tomatoes and Chase's Produce sweet corn as toppings.
Last night we went out to eat. Since it's Buy Local week we hit Preserve in Annapolis for a menu filled with local choices. Mark had the local short ribs and I had the arctic char with a locally grown salad! If you don't love to cook, the good news is Anne Arundel County has lots a great restaurants that feature local grown fare. Try the Mexican street corn at Chad's BBQ it's grown right here in Davidsonville. Other great choices that are favorites of ours are Skippers Pier and Lures both feature locally grown, caught, or raised items on their menus.
Stumped on menu choices? Here are a few to get you started:
Breakfast
Peach smoothie. Here is the recipe: 1/2 cup local peaches diced and frozen skin on, 1/4 cup local plain yogurt, 1-3 TBS local honey, 1/4 cup strawberries, 1 cup coconut milk, 1 medium banana frozen. Place ingredients in blender blend until smooth. Where to buy local? Peaches: Blades Orchard Federalsburg, MD. Yogurt: Nice Farms Creamery, Federalsburg, MD. Honey: Honey’s Harvest Lothian, MD. Blades and Nice Farms are both at the anne Arundel County Farmers market on Riva road and Honey’s Harvest is available at the SOCO farmers market at Deale Library
Lunch
Lunch salad with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, salad mix and crumbled blue cheese, and bacon crumbles, top with homemade creamy ranch dressing. Serve with a nice hearty local bread. Where to buy local? Cucumbers: Chase’s Produce Davidsonville. Lettuce, Cherry tomatoes and herbs for the ranch dressing: Fairytale Farmette Davidsonville. Available at the Anne Arundel County Farmers Market: Milk for the ranch dressing: Nice Farms Creamery. Blue Cheese: PA Bowen’s Farmstead. Bacon: En-tice-ment Meats. Bread: Great Harvests Bread Co.
Dressing Recipe:
5-Minute Creamy Ranch Dressing:
This recipe saves really well in the refrigerator so it makes a bit more for later. My kids like to use it as a veggie dip in their school lunch boxes.
1/2 cup mayonnaise of your choice
1/2 cup sour cream
2-3 tbsp. fresh basil finely snipped
1 clove garlic minced fine
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Parsley
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk, cream, or buttermilk
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk adding milk to achieve the desired consistency.
Adapted from Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen 5-Minute Creamy Chive Parmesan Dressing:
Dinner
Garlic and Prosciutto and Egg White Pizza with Swiss Chard and Roasted Beet Salad
For the Pizza: Finely dice garlic and finely chop oregano leaves then in a pan with olive oil over medium heat sauté the scapes and oregano until soft. Drizzle over pre-baked pizza crust, then top with cheese and diced prosciutto. Crack eggs on to the top of the pizza, size smalls work best. Bake for 5-7 minutes in a 450 degree oven until the cheese is melted and starting to brown in spots and the eggs have firm whites. After the pizza comes out of the oven top with fresh basil cut into "ribbons" then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. The trick to cutting basil ribbons is to roll the leave then use your (clean) poultry shears to cut the rolls into perfect restaurant style "ribbons" of basil!
For the Salad:
8 oz. Swiss Chard chopped ribs removed
1 bunch baby beets (peeled, and roasted)
1/2 cup Shelled Pistachios
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1/8 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/8 cup Fresh Orange Juice
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
Kosher Salt & Cracked Pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Cut the ends of the beets off and peel with a potato peeler.
3. Toss the beets with the EVOO, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Spread on the baking sheet.
5. Roast at 375 F for 30 minutes.
6. Toss all ingredients together and enjoy!
Adapted from Fed and Fit
Where to buy local? This meal is a straight from the Farmette treat! You can find eggs, baby beets, oregano, basil, and Swiss chard right here at Fairytale Farmette. For the goat cheese try Firefly Farms.
Ok now we are on to something! Still want more great Maryland recipes are available here: https://www.buylocalchallenge.com/tips-recipes Be sure to download the Governor's Annual Buy Local Cookbooks too.
Didn't make it to the farmers market this weekend (in the scorching temps I don't blame you!)? No problem! Join Fairytale Farmette at the Buy Local Celebration Monday, July 29, 2019, 5:00PM to 8:00PM Spider Hall Farm, Prince Frederick.
Here are the details...
"Join us for an evening celebrating Maryland’s farms and food at the 3rd Annual Buy Local Challenge Celebration at Spider Hall Farm in Calvert County on Monday, July 29th.
The event gives you the opportunity to purchase from Maryland farmers, producers, artisans, and crafters. It will also showcase food trucks featuring locally sourced ingredients, live music from FLYT also known as Ryan Forrester and John Luskey, carriage rides from the Suttler Post Farm Clydesdales, and much more!
The evening event will be set up farmers’ market style featuring over 40 Maryland farm vendors selling farm-raised meats, cheese, produce, seafood, baked goods, jams and jellies, honey, ice cream, handmade soaps and scents, plus tastings and sales from Maryland’s wineries, distilleries and breweries.
There’s also fun for the whole family - Spider Hall's play area will be open through the evening with activities for kids of all ages including a straw bale maze, giant slide, 3 educational buildings to tour with hands-on activities, the corn box and an interactive music wall. Mary's Go Round Pony Rides and Petting Zoo will also be available at no cost to attendees!"